Reviews

I cannot remember when I have read a more enthralling book.! Be it novel, fiction or non-fiction.! Maybe because I am a transplanted Aussie, I enjoyed it so much. It took me "home".!I laughed, I cried, and I remembered some of my younger days in this beautiful country. Mr Bryson gave me information, I never knew.

I never skipped one paragraph.! Thank you Bill Bryson.

Zac from Queensland Australia

This book is a hilarious travel companion and should be made essential if you plan to travel to A ustralia. Its full of facts that many Australians (including myself) didn't know and is presented in a witty and hilarious way. A marvellous read.

Gillian

A brilliant book that makes you want to go see it all for yourself! Funny and full of intresting facts. Once you start you just can't stop.

Greg Duff

A very accurate and extremely funny-snapshot of this country and its people.

Steve

I found this book to be thoroughly entertaining. It gives you a great picture of the people, its history, geography, culture and everything else about it. Another reviewer challenges Bryson's use of long words. I enjoy his use of broad vocabulary. Most words you can figure out, for the one or two I couldn't I don't mind using a dictionary and broadening my own vocabulary.

kyoozoo

Cliched pap.I loved it.

Here is a caricature of a Bill Bryson sentence: "The town seemed far away, so of course I walked. Of course, it took a long time to get there. I seemed to be tired on arrival, but of course it was nothing a cold beer couldn't fix. The beer seemed stale, but of course I drank it." If I had a nickel for every time Bryson uses SEEM or OF COURSE superfluously...Bryson has his own style, no doubt, which a lot of people love, but if you think he's a good writer, PLEASE read Colin Thubron. Bill Bryson is a writer for the entertainment age, an easy read. However, he does his homework, and often imparts good, solid, interesting information, perhaps easier and more fun to take in and digest because it's simply written. Bryson loves and expects his comforts, and he won't travel beyond them. He never talks to any Aboriginals, for instance, but a tip of the hat for writing eloquently about them, and for offering a poignant perspective on their plight by talking to whitey about them. OK, I admit it, I loved it. I laughed out loud sometimes. I read it happily. But Bryson irritates the hell out of me nevertheless!

roger

More please

Rachel

Ok, I had to read this book for an AP English class (high school), and at first i thought it would be boring. But Bryson not only takes you on a personal tour of Australia, you also learn about the continent's history and people. Bryson makes a good point, as Americans, we often forget Australia is even there. In all of the history classes I've ever taken, I've learned about Europe and the US, and maybe Asia, but I've never learned a single fact about the land down under. I would like to thank Bryson for introducing me to Australia and it's people.

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